Luke Littler enters top-20 of PDC Order of Merit for first time after latest ranking title

Luke Littler has achieved another milestone. The 17-year-old teenage sensation has advanced into the top-20 in the PDC Order of Merit after winning the 20th Players Championship title of the season earlier this week, his 3rd Pro Tour victory of the campaign.

The Englishman won the 20th Players Championship tournament of the season by successively beating Adam Gawlas (6-4), Jacques Labre (6-1), Andrew Gilding (6-3), Kevin Doets (6-2), Luke Humphries (6-2), Dave Chisnall (7-2) and Stephen Bunting (8-7). 

More than three-quarters of a year after reaching the World Darts Championship final, "The Nuke" is now 20th in the world rankings with £364,500 to his name. Note; the Order of Merit is based on performance over a two-year period. Littler has won his prize money in a span of just nine months. For the next 15 months, Littler has nothing to defend on the PDC Order of Merit.

Littler's rise came at the expense of Andrew Gilding and Dirk van Duijvenbode, who both had to drop one spot. There were some other minor changes at the top of the PDC Order of Merit.

Nathan Aspinall returned to fifth place, which meant Dave Chisnall dropped back to sixth. Damon Heta took over the eighth spot from Jonny Clayton, while Josh Rock moved into the top-16 at the expense of Joe Cullen.